Prime Halifax project on the rocks

Mickey MacDonald: “We were not sharing the same vision for the site.” (PETER PARSONS / Staff / File)

Talks are off between Halifax’s Mickey MacDonald and Killam Properties Inc. about his proposed $60-million makeover of some downtown properties, including the Spring Garden Road site occupied by Mills.

“We were not sharing the same vision for the site,” MacDonald said Friday in an interview.

He said talks about partnering on the project will not continue, and the search is on for another partner for his proposed downtown development.

“We’re moving on and beginning to talk with others. This is a major undertaking, and it’s going to take time to find a qualified partner who wants to participate.”

MacDonald said he did not want to disclose who might be on the list of potential partners for the project.

He would say only that the ideal partner will have the necessary financial capabilities and experience in developments of this magnitude.

MacDonald, who heads Micco Group, is demolishing his downtown Chickenburger restaurant to redevelop three of his properties on Queen and Birmingham streets and the site currently occupied by Mills.

The short-lived Queen Street Chickenburger is scheduled for demolition Sunday.

“By Monday it will be gone,” said MacDonald of the two-storey building.

He said he remains committed to a spring construction start of an L-shaped downtown development that will include commercial space on the ground floor and apartments above.

The project will include heights from eight to 10 storeys above Spring Garden Road where Mills is located.

A group that purchased Mills plans to relocate the high-end women’s wear shop to another Spring Garden Road location in March.

Killam Properties has not confirmed it was involved in negotiations with MacDonald on his downtown proposal.